Locations Visited On This Tour

The island’s No 1 visitor attraction is a very relaxed place to spend in the company of 70 elephants.

The Golden Cave Temple At Dambulla

Anyone who appreciates art and history should visit these fascinating cave temples hidden in a gigantic rock.

The Sigiriya Rock Fortress

One of the great Wonders Of The Ancient World requires a bit of climbing but has that ‘wow’ factor in abundance

Kandy

A very pretty town and the gateway to the Hill Country with lots of quaint reminders of colonial era Ceylon.

The Hill Country By Train

Beautiful mountain ranges covered with tea plantations, amazing waterfalls and cloud forests that are best experienced by train.

Yala National Park

One of the great national parks of Asia and the best location in the world to spot Leopards in the wild.

Galle

The ramparts of an Old Dutch Fort enclose a perfectly preserved town full of historic colonial buildings.

Beach Stay – Should You Choose The West Coast or East Coast?

From November to April, the West, South West and Deep South of the island experiences fine weather and calm seas. The tropical scenery and well established resorts make these areas popular even during the Summer months of July and August even though seas are slightly rough.

From May to October, the amazing East Coast beaches are among the finest in the entire world with shallow seas where you can just wade out for hundreds of feet into the sea!

Why Do This Tour?

Sri Lanka has a remarkable variety of sights and experiences on offer for a small island. If you have an interest in wildlife and nature and do not mind a certain amount of travelling in order to see as much as possible within the timeframe of a one week tour, this itinerary is very much recommended.

After a stopover at Colombo, proceed to the Cultural Triangle and the magnificent Sigiriya Fortress, the most impressive historic site in Sri Lanka. Kandy has a charming colonial atmosphere and is one of the prettiest towns in Asia.

The full train journey through the Hill Country takes you through Alpine forests to Haputale, with dramatic views of the plains below. Horton Plains is a high altitude Cloud Forest that is drenched in beautiful ferns and forests of rhododendron.

A visit to Yala National Park in the Deep South of the island will be a highlight. This famous reserve has the greatest concentration of Leopards in the world today.

Recommended For: Those who wish to experience the island’s wildlife and nature as well as the must-see cultural sights.

When To Go?

This Sri Lanka Tour Is Possible All Year Round

November-April

Clockwise Tour With South West Or Deep South Coast Beach Stay

May-September

Anti-Clockwise Tour With East Coast Beach Stay

From 01 September - 15 October Yala National Park May Sometimes Be Closed To Visitors. In This Event, Uda Walawe National Park Will Be Used With Comparable Accommodation At Uda Walawe.

Frequestly Asked Questions About This Tour?

How Much Travelling Is Involved?

Quite a bit. This tour is recommended for those who are used to travel and don’t mind long journeys in order to see all of the islands cultural and wildlife attractions.

Is It Possible To Stay At Nuwara Eliya In The Western Hill Country?

Yes, but it will take about 5 or 6 hours to get to Yala from the Western Hill Country.

Is Yala Open Year Round?

Yala usually closes for a month with the beginning of the dry season in the South East of the island. This is usually for about 30 days anytime between 01/09 and 31/10 of each year. The park closes to avoid stress on wildlife as they search for water among the dwindling water-holes with the onset of the dry season. During this time visitors can opt to visit either UdaWalaweNational Park (1.5 Hours away) or Bundala National Park (40 minutes away), both of which stay open throughout the year.

What Is The Best Time To See Leopards At Yala?

Leopards are seen throughout the year, with slightly more sightings in the dry months of August and September. Afternoon Safaris are best for Leopards.

Is It Easy To Stay On The Deep South Beaches After This Tour?

Yes, this tour is ideal for a beach stay in and around Galle.

The Dambulla Golden Cave Temple

Landscapes Around Sigiriya

Delicious Sri Lankan Cuisine

Cinnamon Citadel

Inside the Temple Of Tooth

Terraced Fields At Nuwara Eliya

The Unique Horton Plains Cloud Forests

98 Acres

Sri Lanka Leopard At Yala

Sloth Bear at Yala

Fisherman On The South Coast Road

Sri Lankan Fruit Platter

Beach At Kosgoda

Restaurant At Ranna 212

Day 1 - DEPART UK

The flight from LHR to CMB takes approximately 10 hours.

Day 2 - COLOMBO

COLOMBO AIRPORT-COLOMBO

22 Miles Approx 1 Hour

Relax On Arrival At Colombo

The Mount Lavinia Hotel (1877) is an ideal place to relax upon arrival in Sri Lanka. The hotel has a private stretch of beach for its guests and wonderful Indian Ocean sunsets can be seen from its Terrace Bar.

YOUR CHOICE OF HOTEL:

First Class Hotels :

Jetwing Beach , Negombo

Special Choice :

Binnacle Negombo

Day 3 - DAMBULLA

COLOMBO – DAMBULLA

94 Miles Approx 4 Hours

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawela is Sri Lanka’s most visited attraction, and provides a very relaxed place to spend a few hours watching elephants. It is home to the largest group of orphaned Elephants in the world! Most of the 70 animals have been found injured or abandoned in the wild.

Depending on the time of day, you can watch the little baby calves some only a few weeks old are fed by bottle and the whole herd is then bathed in the adjoining river. A not to be missed experience.

The Golden Cave Temple At Dambulla

The 5 Cave Temples Of Dambulla are a series of rock temples that have been hewn from a gigantic boulder that contain a very beautiful collection of sculptures, paintings and frescoes from various periods of the island’s history.

Cave No 2 – The Temple Of The Great Kings is the biggest and most spectacular cave temple with over 150 statues and 1500 paintings! The ceilings and walls are covered by the finest murals to be seen in Sri Lanka.

YOUR CHOICE OF HOTEL:

Special Choice :

Kassapa Lion Rock, Sigiriya

Eco :

Dambale Boutique Chalets

Day 4 - KANDY

DAMBULLA – KANDY

44 Miles Approx 2.5 Hours

The Magnificent Sigiriya Rock Fortress

The amazing rock fortress of Sigiriya is often listed as 8th Wonder Of The Ancient World and is easily the most impressive historic sight in Sri Lanka. You enter through The Royal Pleasure Gardens with a series of ponds and landscaped terraces until the ascent of the rock fortress begins through a series of dramatic staircases.

Hidden half-way is a cave that reveals the Sigiriya Frescoes. This is Sri Lanka’s premier artistic treasure and is a must for all visitors. If you have a head for heights, you can reach the top via the gigantic Lions Paws, which are the remnants of a huge stone lion that used to guard the entrance. There are stunning views of the forested plains below from the top.

Temple Of The Buddha’s Tooth

Delightfully located in a valley surrounded by hills, Kandy was the last capital of the ancient kings. The UNESCO protected Old Town area is a lovely place for an afternoon walk along a maze of streets leading to the Temple Of The Buddha’s Tooth and the Kandy Lake, magnificently framed against forest clad hills in the background.

Visit The Temple Of The Buddha’s Tooth in the evening, for the ‘’pooja ceremony’’ that starts around 6:30 pm. At this time crowds gather to offer flowers and prayers to the sacred relic in the inner sanctum and the temple drummers are in full swing – a magical experience.

YOUR CHOICE OF HOTEL:

First Class Hotels :

Ozo Kandy

Special Choice :

Hotel Thilanka , Kandy

Day 5 - THE HILL COUNTRY

KANDY – HILL COUNTRY

A Train Journey Of Approx 5 Hours

By Train Through The Hill Country

The Highland Queen leaves Kandy Railway Station for a spectacular journey through the Hill Country. There are lovely views of waterfalls and tea estates among the glorious scenery of the Great Western mountain range.

We include the full-length railway journey through pine and cloud forests near Horton Plains as well as the mind-boggling views of the Eastern Hill Country at Haputale. Clients are booked on the super luxury Expo Carriage or the Observation Car when available.

The Magnificent Views At Ella And Haputale

The most beautiful views in the entire island can be seen from the so called Ella and Haputale Gap – spectacular breaks in the mountains with views all the way down to the coast from the edge of the southern escarpment.

YOUR CHOICE OF HOTEL:

Deluxe :

Ceylon Tea Bungalows

Special Choice :

Feelin Good Resort

Day 6 - YALA

HILL COUNTRY (HAPUTALE) – YALA

44 Miles Approx 3 Hours

Horton Plains Cloud Forests And World’s End

A strange windswept plateau at 6500ft with moss covered forests of rhododendron and sweeping grasslands crossed by crystal-clear streams. A path leads to World’s End - a sheer precipice of some 3000ft! and the enchanting Baker’s Falls.

EARLY START REQUIRED

YOUR CHOICE OF HOTEL:

Special Choice :

The Safari ,Yala

Blue Turtle Hotel

Day 7 - YALA

Encounters With Leopards And Wild Elephants At Yala

The jewel among Sri Lanka’s wildlife reserves and one of Asia’s premier sanctuaries is justifiably famous for its population of Leopards that can easily be observed hunting and lazing around during daylight hours. The island’s big cat is attracted by the presence of large herds of Spotted Deer, Sambar (Elk) and Wild Boar that comprise its staple diet.

Apart from the wildlife, the stunning landscapes at Yala consist of strange shaped rock outcrops that are the ideal habitat of the aggressive Sloth Bear and a coastline dotted with beautiful lagoons harbouring migratory flamingoes and ferocious Marsh Crocodiles.

Around 100 Elephants are also found in and around the park. Today there are said to be 18 to 20 ‘tuskers’ in the reserve, including some huge ‘cross-tuskers’.

YOUR CHOICE OF HOTEL:

Special Choice :

The Safari ,Yala

Blue Turtle Hotel

Day 8 - SRI LANKA’S BEACHES

YALA – BEACH RESORTS

A Journey Of Approx 3 - 4 Hours

The South Coast Road And The Stilt Fishermen Of Koggala

A lovely coast road passes through a succession of picture-postcard beaches and idyllic bays such as Weligama, widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful in the world.

The island’s unique Stilt Fishermen can be seen in this area during the late afternoons.

The Old World Town Of Galle

Galle has a charming old Dutch Fort (1640) which is the best preserved in Asia. Huge ramparts enclose an Old Town of great historical and architectural value. The labyrinth of streets and alleyways contain about 200 old colonial buildings that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site of prime importance.

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery

See turtle hatchlings prepared for release back in to the sea. If you are lucky you may be allowed to release some yourself.

Sri Lanka’s Beach Resorts

A beach stay on Sri Lanka’s famous palm fringed coastline combined in addition to this tour will make for an excellent 2 week holiday on the island.

DEPART SRI LANKA

Depart Sri Lanka – Daytime flights arrive back in UK the same day.

Elephant Island Tour Of Sri Lanka

First Class - Room And Breakfast (Breakfast)

Special Choice – Half Board (Breakfast + Dinner)

Based On 2 Persons Sharing Room

SUMMER: 01/05 – 31/10 WINTER: 01/11 – 30/04

FEATURED TOUR – LAND HOLIDAY ONLY

HOTEL CATEGORY

SUMMER 2018

WINTER 2018

4 / 5 STAR FIRST CLASS HOTELS

£1148 PP

£1188 PP

SPECIAL CHOICE OF HOTELS

£934 PP

£978 PP

*Price Excludes Beach Stay

Terms and Conditions

INCLUDES

• Private tour of Sri Lanka in an air-conditioned vehicle with English speaking driver/guide.

• All entry fees for places of interest as described in itinerary including jeep hire at national parks.

• Meal plan as stated.

EXCLUSIONS

• Flight and accommodation supplements may apply at peak periods.

• Beach stay at end of tour if required will be charged separately with options given.

OFFERS AND DISCOUNTS

• Children under 6 years of age sharing parents bed are given the land tour FREE OF CHARGE!!

• Special rates available for 2 adults and 1 child sharing triple room.

• Discounts available for families and groups.

TAILOR MADE ALTERATIONS

• You are welcome to suggest changes or alterations such as a more relaxed tour with fewer activities, additional nights at places that may interest you, and adventure activities like white-water rafting.

• Tell us about any special interests and we will incorporate them in to your tour schedule.

If you want to widen your choice of tour hotel options, go to our View All Hotels index and tell us the mix of hotel you wish to stay at? If you have chosen your own hotels, we will include these along with your quote request.

DISTANCES AND TRAVELLING TIMES

All distances are point to point and do not include stops for sightseeing en-route. Actual travelling times may vary according to traffic, local weather and other factors.

YOUR BEACH STAY

There are a large number of beach hotels featured on our website. You are welcome to browse the Beach Hotels index and ask for your own choice of beach hotel. Alternatively we will feature a standard set of 8-10 beach hotel options that we can personally recommend.

You are welcome to specify the actual number of beach nights you require.

TOUR FORMAT

Unless specified, we usually feature the clockwise version of the tour for Winter Season (October-May) enquiries, and an anti-clockwise version of the tour for Summer Season (June – September) enquiries as the occurance of fine weather, sea bathing, snorkelling and watersports depends very much on the coast that is ‘in season’ at the time of your travel.

Get a Quote for "Elephant Island Tour Of Sri Lanka"

To get more information about this tour, please contact us using the form below.

We Aim To Reply to You In Detail Within 12 Hours (8 am – 5 pm).

Note: If you want to contact us about a Tailor Made Tour or another holiday idea and not "Elephant Island Tour Of Sri Lanka", please go to our Contact Page.

HOTELS FEATURED ON THIS TOUR

Jetwing Beach

The flagship property of the Jetwing hotel chain. A stylish and contemporary hotel, each of the rooms opens up into a large private terrace, which looks out over the Indian Ocean. A state of the art Spa, watersports and great child-care facilities are on offer.

Chaaya Village

A beautiful hotel set in a forested park in the Cultural Triangle. The rustic cottages are surrounded by exotic trees and shrubs on the fringe of an ancient lake. A stunning triangular shaped infinity pool adds greatly to the appeal of this property.

Cinnamon Citadel

Cinnamon Citadel is located on a bend of the Mahaweli River, the longest river in Sri Lanka. Unlike many other hotels at Kandy, it has the advantage of relative closeness to the city's main attractions. The Citadel has its own jetty for Boat Trips on the Mahaweli River.

98 Acres

A luxury nature resort on a tea estate near the pretty village of Ella with an unbelievable view stretching down through the Ella Gap towards the lowlands in the far distance. Cottages are scattered among tea gardens and reached by electric buggies.

The Safari

A delightfully situated hotel on the banks of the Tissa Wewa Lake is a renovated British colonial era Rest House that is ideal for safari trips to the nearby Yala National Park, one of the premier national parks of Asia.

Elephant Island Tours is a truly customer focused organisation.Our first connect was with Justin in the London Office. He listened carefully to understand our particular needs and apparitions. We were most impressed by his speed of reply, helpful suggestions and advice. The tour fulfilled all our needs. You cannot overestimate the importance of the first contact - Thank you Justin.

The shop window of your organisation was our driver guide Mahendra. He proved to be very knowledgeable and a brilliant driver. He quickly became our friend. He was so helpful in all ways He never let us down. The car was more than adequate for our needs and always clean - Thank you Mahendra."

BY: Tony Powell

"I have just returned from a 2 week holiday in Sri Lanka where I booked a 6 day overland tour through Elephant Island.

Absolutely faultless. The detailed itinerary put together by Amanda at EI incorporated absolutely everything we wanted to do and gave us a fantastic overview of Sri Lanka, its culture, its wildlife and its history.

Our driver Rohan was exceptional. He drove us with care, explained everything in detail and offered us numerous additional stops for activities such as elephant rides, a look around Kandy market and a trip to Nuwara Eliya. I would make sure, next time I go to Sri Lanka, that I had Rohan driving me around.

If you're going to Sri Lanka you MUST book through EI! The whole process was so smooth and ensured that I had the most amazing time in what is surely one of the world's most beautiful countries."